Vlans; Vlan Description - Hirschmann RS20 User Manual

Network Load Control

8.6 VLANs

8.6.1

VLAN Description

In the simplest case, a virtual LAN (VLAN) consists of a group of network
participants in one network segment who can communicate with each other
as if they belonged to a separate LAN.
More complex VLANs span out over multiple network segments and are also
based on logical (instead of only physical) connections between network
participants. Thus VLANs are an element of flexible network design, as you
can reconfigure logical connections centrally more easily than cable
connections.
The IEEE 802.1Q standard defines the VLAN function.
The most important benefits of VLANs are:

Network load limiting
VLANs reduce the network load considerably as the devices transmit
broadcast, multicast, and unicast packets with unknown (unlearned)
destination addresses exclusively inside the virtual LAN. The rest of the
data network forwards traffic as normal.

Flexibility
You have the option of forming user groups flexibly based on the function
of the participants and not on their physical location or medium.
 Clarity
VLANs give networks a clear structure and make maintenance easier.
UM BasicConfig L2E
Release 8.0 05/2013
8.6 VLANs
143